How to Never Have Another Cavity!

Dental decay seems to be the main concern of patients when they come into our office for an examination. Fortunately, the incidence of decay (how frequently it is seen) has decreased very significantly in the last fifty years owing mainly to the availability of fluoride in drinking water which makes teeth harder and, therefore, more resistant to decay.

For a cavity to develop, there are three variables which must be present. The secret to never again having dental decay is to eliminate at least one of these. Theoretically, the prevention is not difficult.

First, plaque must be present on the teeth. Plaque is a nearly invisible deposit of sticky goo (for lack of a better word) which is LOADED with bacteria. It is this plaque which we try to remove each day by tooth brushing and flossing. The purpose of the brush is to loosen the plaque from the exposed parts of each tooth so that it can be rinsed out. Floss does the same thing between the teeth where the brush cannot reach.

Everyone in our office agrees that an electric brush is FAR more effective than any manual brush at removing plaque. We have tried many brushes, most recently the new Sonicaire brand. I had tried this brand in the past and could not get used to the way it tickled my palate. The company has addressed this issue, and I now love this brush. We have never before seen an instrument perform so well! We highly recommend it, and can provide one for you at significant savings under the retail price.

Second, food must be available for the bacteria. They love certain carbohydrates which they ingest. Then, the little devils produce acid as a by-product of this ingestion. It is this acid which causes cavities. And what foods result in the most damage? Sugar in all its forms – soda, gum, sports drinks, candy, raisins, fruit roll-ups, etc. There are other contributing substances, but in my experience, SUGAR IS THE ENEMY!

I recently was visited by one of my favorite patients. She has a history of developing serious cavities very quickly. She had always attributed the decay to some hereditary flaw, but on further discussion she admitted to sucking life savers frequently every day at work to keep her breath fresh. She also uses sugar in her coffee and drinks several cups per day. It is likely that these habits are contributing to her dental problem if not causing them. So, if you think that you have too many cavities, perhaps an inventory of your dietary intake may shed some light on the problem. It is interesting that in the last few years, a new syndrome of rapidly advancing decay has developed among people who ingest sports drinks frequently…

Time is the third variable in the dental cavity equation. People will only develop decay if the plaque and food are allowed to remain on the teeth for extended periods. So, if you brush thoroughly and remove all the plaque, no decay will develop. Similarly, if you eat a candy bar, but quickly remove the bits that stick in your mouth, you will not have a cavity. We were taught in dental school that it takes the bacteria about twenty minutes to turn sugar into acid in high enough concentration to cause problems. So, perhaps eating junk food before bed without brushing is not a good idea. Similarly, sugary foods that are also sticky remain in the mouth a long time, and, so, are the worst for causing decay.

To summarize:
Bacterial Plaque + Sugary Foods + Time = Cavities

Eliminate any one of these variables, and you will never have a cavity again!

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to call our office at 908.359.6655. Or you may send email to info@DesignsForDentalHealth.com.

P.S. Thanks to new technology, we are better able to locate cavities and judge their severity. We now employ the Diagnodent Laser Cavity Detection Aid. It looks like some day, the dental “pick” will be a thing of the past…

How to Avoid the Pain, Inconvenience and Expense of Dental Disease

There are really only four ways to lose teeth prematurely, and only four pathways to develop dental disease. This article is the first of in a series which will hopefully provide information and insight to help you, our patients, avoid the pain, inconvenience and expense of dental disease. And, more importantly, give you the tools necessary to keep your teeth healthy for life!



Now, this first installment will provide an overview of the causes of dental disease. It is these various "etiologies" which frequently develop unrecognized or worse, unmanaged. But, to be managed, the REAL cause of a patient's problem must first be recognized or uncovered. Since we are dealing with the human body, and not a machine, you can imagine how complicated discovering the real cause of a patient's problem might be.



For example, a patient comes to the office complaining of pain in an upper back tooth especially when she bites on it or drinks anything cold. Seems pretty straightforward, and the "typical" patient believes that she probably has a cavity. Maybe so, but more often not. This patient may have a cracked tooth, the most frustrating kind of tooth problem to uncover -- more on this in a future article. Or, maybe the bite is off, or the patient has a sinus problem, etc., etc.



What is the point? A very thorough examination of every new patient is absolutely essential. A quick five-minute look-see at the end of your cleaning just will not provide adequate information to get a true picture of what is happening in any patient's mouth. And, existing patients are encouraged to have a comprehensive examination every five years or whenever a new problem is suspected.



So, the four ways people can lose teeth prematurely?

1. Trauma -- injuries to the teeth or jaws or head.


2. Cavities -- bacteria burrowing into the teeth and making progressively bigger holes.


3. Gum Disease -- bacteria working their way into and destroying the bone which holds the teeth.


4. Bad Bite -- teeth which do not meet in a healthy and/or comfortable way respond by becoming worn, loose or out-of-position. Bad bites are also the most common cause of TMD (head, neck and facial pain).

In the next several articles, each of these issues will be discussed. There will also be a special article on Oral Cancer -- the sixth most common cancer worldwide which, unfortunately, has a survival rate of only around 50 percent.

Please feel welcome to call our office at 908.359.6655 if you have specific questions with which you need help. I look forward to providing useful and timely information to you via this, my first attempt at blogging. Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions for future topics. You may send email to info@DesignsForDentalHealth.com.